Previous Month:

Waris Mazhari

Had your Lord
pleased, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception.
So will you compel people to become believers? (10:99) […]and had God so
willed, He would have made you all a single community, but He did not so will,
in order that He might try you by what He has given you (5:48)The Quran, as is
readily evident from this discussion, reflects a universal notion of religious
tolerance. If this is not reflected in Muslims’ behaviour, the fault lies with
Muslims themselves, and not with the Quran....

S. Mubashir Noor, New Age Islam

Liberal
internationalism is dead. Or at the very least on death row awaiting execution
should US President Donald Trump push forward with his campaign promises. Why?
Simply put, his declared priorities as president are at complete odds with the
fundamental feature undergirding the post-1945 world order sired and steered by
the US. Once the continents emerged from the ashes of World War II, Washington
as the only standing superpower promised a benevolent model of international
relations that shunned the petty realpolitik of old Europe and its exploitative
colonialism. Positive social virtues like human rights and self-government
would thenceforth illuminate the twentieth century.….

Jonathan Spyer

Ownership by
the US and its allies of eastern Syria in the post-Islamic State period is the
best way to prevent the possibility of the realization of Iran's aims, while
presenting Russia with a fait accompli. The indications are that the US
administration is thinking in these terms. If so, Iranian victory emerging from
the ruins of Syria and Iraq can be prevented. The post-Islamic State landscape
in Iraq and Syria is emerging. The contest for primacy within it is set to
begin.....

The Economist

Meanwhile
intense Muslim unhappiness over the ruling was articulated by the Islamic Human
Rights Commission, a London-based lobby group, where a spokeswoman said: “This
gives legal cover to what is essentially an ongoing hate campaign to make
Muslims second-class citizens in Europe....

Thomas Joscelyn

Iyad Ag Ghaly,
the long-time leader of Ansar Dine, heads the new joint venture. Ghaly, a
Malian Tuareg jihadist, explained why the merger was necessary in a video that
is more than seven minutes long. And he emphasized that his group is part of al
Qaeda’s international network. “On this blessed occasion, we renew our pledge
of allegiance [bayat] to our honourable emirs and sheikhs: Abu Musab Abdel
Wadoud, our beloved and wise sheikh Ayman al Zawahiri and…the emir of the
Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan Mullah Haibatullah, may Allah protect them and
support them,” ....

Samreen Shahbaz

Under Zia’s
era, the establishment took it upon itself to “Islamise” state institutions and
introduced a series of “regulative” and “puritanical” legal measures including
restricting women to the “Char-Diwari” (four walls) of their homes and
controlling women’s sexuality through introduction of Zina and Hudood Laws....

Pinar Tremblay

Henna
is a symbol of innocence and sacrifice in Turkey and the region. Turkish bridal
showers often include the bride getting a henna design on her palm. Young
conscripts also get henna on their hands just before they are sent off to serve
their country, as a symbol of dedication. For the people of Anatolia, henna
symbolizes new beginnings, excitement and sacrifice for an important cause. It
is an ancient tradition that has been cherished by Jews, Arabs, Alevis, Kurds
and Turks — it is an image that unites and transcends politics….

Taj Hashmi

To conclude,
marriage is a sacred institution, a life-long commitment between two
individuals; not an anti-dote to rape and illicit sex, let alone a reward for
rapist men. Bangladesh needs the rule of law against rape, abduction, and
sexual harassment of women, not child marriage – which is a regression therapy,
not an efficacious cure....

Abdulrahman al-Rashed

They also use
the injustice being done to some Muslims and use it to plant the seeds of
extremism, which stays for a long time and eventually becomes a local culture.
If you can imagine this, you can understand how extremism spreads and how
terrorism emerged. You will also realize that fighting extremism is more
important than fighting terrorism....

Sumit S Paul

It was a
surprise of surprises to me. Holi in Pakistan! Was I dreaming? I pinched
myself. No, I wasn't dreaming. Nonetheless, I went to the department on the day
of Holi. It was a colourful spectacle to behold. There were colours everywhere.
Students and professors were playing Holi. The moment I entered the department,
all greeted me with Holi Mubarak ho in chorus. It was really unexpected. Dr
Abbas told me that Punjab University had been celebrating Holi right from its
inception in 1882 and the tradition was never broken even during and after
partition....

Malik M Ashraf

Islam also
forbids armed groups and non-state entities to declare Jihad. According to
Islam it can only be declared by a legitimately chosen leader of the state.
Similarly rebellion against the state or taking up of arms against it is not
permitted by Islam. These Islamic injunctions and teachings must be relied upon
to develop a counter narrative against the ideology preached by the terrorists
and proponents of religious extremism. That job can best be done by the
religious scholars through the pulpit and the mosque.....

Rashid Samnakay, New Age Islam

Such are even
the ‘Believers’ in the creed laa ilaa haa illaa Allaah- There is
no earthly gods, that is, monarchs, kings, Khalifahs, Imams, Muftis,
custodians of holy places, or graven images but only the Supreme Being, the
Creator of universe as the father-figure. To Him mankind is but one nation… one
large family; but alas of their own freewill they differed and divided
themselves into tribal communities to fight wars across the borders and
regions.....

Ray Hanania

Worse is that
Israelis, angry that they had to give up on their dream of a “Greater Israel”
that encompasses most of the Middle East including Egypt, Jordan, Syria and
Lebanon, voted overwhelmingly to elect hard-line extremists to reject peace and
pursue a tough military policy against Palestinian civilians. What is amazing
to me is that Israel has been rejecting peace openly and without shame for the
past 20 years and no one in the Arab world has done anything about it....

Ravinder Kaur

The Akhlaq
incident, the Muzaffarnagar riots, the incidents around tanning, has undermined
Muslim confidence. Alienation, fear and silence are the result. It is this that
the BJP needs to address — something that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was able to
address and some believe that the Babri-tainted Rajnath Singh could address. Is
the BJP of Modi and Shah even keen to recognise the issue of genuine inclusion,
let alone address it?....

Medea Benjamin

It
seems that the admiration is mutual. As Trump and Prince Salman sat for a photo
op after lunch, Trump smiled, pointed to the Saudi delegation, and said, “They
are nice people.” No, Mr. Trump, they aren’t. They behead people for peaceful
dissent at home. They export the extreme Wahhabist ideology that fuels
terrorist groups. And they are committing war crimes in Yemen. ...

Jennah Adam

The
beggar and I are both dependent on one Sustainer. We both supplicate,
consciously or unconsciously, to the Most Generous and are looked after by Him.
What I give to the needy is not from me but from Him, for none of what I posses
is mine, and I, too, am equally in need of my Guardian’s blessings. These
verses resonate with me, but I struggle to understand why….

Matt Young

Coalition
forces fear Isis will revert to Al-Qaeda's strategy of guerrilla or
"asymmetric" warfare, including bomb attacks. Clever for the fact
that attacks can occur anywhere at any time. "Islamic State is a global
insurgency. It may well be they will never be as powerful or enjoy the presence
they currently have, but it will be a very long time before this group is
completely irrelevant."....